Lessons I Have Learned
Joshua 1:1-9
I learned a valuable lesson the night before I preached my first sermon. My mother gave me a verse that God laid on her heart: Joshua 1:9. I memorized that Scripture about courage just as fast as I could because I was scared! Later, I read the whole passage and realized that strength and courage are tied to concentrating on God’s Word. For this reason, a personal time of meditation with God should be a priority in our life.
When we are in daily communion with our Lord, we can more easily accept that He is in absolute control of everything facing us. Whether we are pummeled by adversity or overwhelmed with joy, God has our circumstances well in hand. Spending regular time with the Father allows us to bring Him all of our concerns and feelings. Then He can rejoice with us or cradle us as our need merits.
Praying through the Scriptures and asking God to speak to our heart about what we read is our privilege as Christians. When we are quiet before the Lord, we have the opportunity to receive His guidance and power for navigating our circumstances. Consequently, God restores our weary souls and renews us for another day.
I personally believe that every morning, we should roll from bed and spend a little time on our knees. We should give Him our day, going over our schedule and committing the time to Him. The morning is like the rudder of our day – how we begin steers our course throughout. Are you ready to let Him be your captain?
Daily Devotions with Dr. Charles Stanlley, InTouch Ministries